Kombucha and Multiple Sclerosis

Brought to you by Ariana Estelle-Symons, Ph.D., Copyright
1997
From the March, 1998 issue of theKombucha Konnection Newsletter.

Dear Harmonic Harvest

I am so pleased to be able to share this good news with you. I've already written
you about my wonderful results from 18 months of drinking the tea produced by my Harmonic Harvest Kombucha. If
you recall, I had purchased a "Miracle Mushroom" from someone on the East Coast and brewed it for six
months - with NO apparent benefits - then when I called and talked with you, we both came to the conclusion that
I probably did not have the 'genuine article'. Theirs was grown with various herbs and brown sugar with added molasses.
No wonder it wasn't working. From the very first week of drinking the tea produced by the "HH" Kombucha
culture, I have had more beneficial results than I had hoped for. The first problem solved was life-long constipation.
I simply could not believe how quickly our 'elixir' cured that problem. I know... you always say that "Kombucha
does NOT cure anything"... but, in this case it sure did. I have not taken a single laxative in 18 months.
That, in itself, was enough to change my life. But then, came the weight loss. I lost 14 pounds in the first couple
of months, and then over a years time have lost a total of 32 pounds. My blood pressure medication has been decreased
by 2/3 at this writing. Of course, my doctor will not allow Kombucha any of the credit. He assures me that it's
only because I lost the weight. Whatever the reason, I know in my heart that it's all connected. The mind/body
connection plays a part also. If I hadn't rid myself of the constipation problem, I wouldn't have felt better.
If I hadn't felt better, I wouldn't have begun my morning walking routine. If I hadn't done that walking, I wouldn't
have lost the weight. If I hadn't lost the weight, my blood pressure would still be high. In a nutshell - I bow
to Kombucha!

AS IF THIS WERE NOT ENOUGH

Four months ago I called and asked you to ship a Kombucha Kit to my sister in Memphis.
She had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis approximately four years ago. She's my twin, and this news was devastating
for me. Her symptoms came and went for a year or two, and varied in severity, but none of us in the family were
very optimistic when she began to suffer more severe spastic symptoms and stiffness and had to resort to using
a walker some of the time. She had not told me of the exacerbation of symptoms, and my heart broke when I went
to visit her and saw her using the walker. She finally broke down and told me of other symptoms including severe
constipation (requiring drugs/enemas) and also of bladder problems and reoccurring infections. The day I came home
from my visit, I called you. My feeling was "what harm could it do?"

Well, it took a bit of doing to convince her to have an open mind about Kombucha.
When I had shared with her my experiences with it, she had laughed and said "Oh well, whatever floats your
boat kiddo - it's not for me- this is a REAL disease". So I knew I had to take the bull by the horns and lead
the horse to water, hoping she'd take a drink.

The day she received the Kombucha Kit, she called me to say that she'd received this
weird looking stuff in the mail with a card saying it was a gift from her sister. She said, "You're serious
about this aren't you?" My reply - "damned straight - I'm serious - try it for me".

It was a little hard for her to get started with it, since she lives alone because
her darling husband left her when she was diagnosed. So, she called a friend over and between the two of them,
they started together making Kombucha. Now, here comes the great part of the story.

She came to visit me last week. When I picked her up at the airport I was absolutely
amazed! She was NOT using the walker. No more drugs/enemas for constipation, and NO bladder infections since she
began to drink Kombucha. It could be my imagination, but her 'slurred speech' is not as severe as before. She's
eating better, and now is actually exercising a little. She goes to the "Y" and swims 3 days a week.
When she's able, she gets out and walks with another with a young woman who also has MS, although has only recently
been diagnosed and has few symptoms. They attend what they refer to as the "MS Fun Group" and they are
having a ball. I believe it's good for them to get together and share experiences. My sister has about half of
the group of 20 people drinking Kombucha. In fact, they drink it at their meetings. Although she starting out drinking
only an ounce each day, she tells me that now she might drink a quart a day.

Of course, we know that the next "attack" may be a doosie. But, until then,
she's doing so well. Also, she tells me that she's not so depressed. I'd already figured that out when I'd call
her and get her machine. That was a great sign for me, because I knew she was out and about doing good things for
herself. Oh yes, I've also convinced her to drink green tea (she was a two pot a day coffee drinker), and now that
she's used to it, has cut back her coffee to one cup in the morning. She's taking lots of vitamins - especially
'C" , Pantothenic acid, calcium, a B complex from her doctor and flax oil. By the way, her doctor was impressed
by her improvement regarding the constipation. She tells me he's asked her a lot about Kombucha and asked for copies
of your newsletter. Of course, she's just waiting for the day he asks her for a 'Kombucha Baby'. He did tell her
that he'd heard of others that drank KT for constipation, and in that respect, he's impressed!

Feel free to share this in your newsletter if you would like. I know that there are
others out there that could benefit as Marla has, and if we can help only one person, wouldn't it be wonderful?